Railroad car



May 13, 1941.

G. A. STEUBER I 2,241,749 RAILROAD CAR Filed A ril 10, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY May 13, 1941. e. A. STEUBER RAILROAD CAR Filed April 10, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I all INVENTOR. W

a ATTORNEY y 1941- G. A. STEUBER 2,241,749

RAILROAD CAR Filed April 10, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR. Ob M B 1 ATTORNEY Patented May 13, 194-1 UNETE.

RAILROAD can.

George A. Steuben, Penfield, N. Y., assignor to Despatch Shops, Inc., a corporation of New York Application April '10, 1939, Serial No; 267,133

3 Glaims.

While my invention is applicable to all types of box or house freight cars, it more especially relates to steel sheathed refrigerator cars.

Here'tofore when it was necessary to make repairs to wall structure of refrigerator'cars, such, for instance, as repairing the outer metal sheathing, it was necessary to remove the insulation'and inner sheathing of the car wall.

As an instance of the damage to the outer sheathing of the car wall I refer to the side swiping of the car, which side swiping usually damages the outer sheathing of the car near the bottom of the wall, as a result of which, under the constructions heretofore employed for outer sheathing, it was necessary to remove the outersheathing from the eaves to the side sill of the car.

One of the objects of my invention is to materially reduce weight of the car without sacrificing its eificiency.

Another object of my invention is to provide an outer sheathing forv the wall of the car divided into vertical panels constituting the upper portion of the sheathing, and horizontally disposed panels constituting the lower portion of the sheathing, whereby only that portion of the outer sheathing, which is damaged by side swiping, or otherwise, may be removed without disturbing the insulated portion of the car wall.

Another object of my invention is toprovide for a maximum of insulation, within a minimum Wall thickness.

Another object of my invention is to form the insulation feature of the car so that it may be repaired without disturbing the outside sheathing of the car.

Another object of my invention is to' provide the car with round corners to increase clearance between the corners of the car on curves and to eliminate square or sharp corners, said round corners conforming to the general design of the car, giving the car a smooth and flowing contour.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby the sheathing of the car may be removed without destructive effort; and with these and other objects in View, myinvention consists of the parts and combination of parts hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an assembled View of the outside sheathing of the car detached from the car.

Figure 3 is a detail elevation of a portion of the interior of the car.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional View on the line 4 4', Figure 3; looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on" the line 5'-'5,

" Figure 1.

66, Figure 1, looking in the direction 'of the arrows.-

Figure '7 is a detail sectional viewton the line 'l|, Figure 1, looking in the direction of' the arrows.

Figure 8 is a detail sectionalview on the line 8-8, Figure 6, looking in the direction of the arrows. i Figure 9 is a detail sectionalview on the line '-9, Figure 7, looking in the direction of the Y arrows.

Figure 10 is a detail sectional view taken on the line l0l'il, Figure 1; looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure-11 is a detail sectional view. 7

Figure 12 is a detail perspective view of one of the wall postsand two abutting outside sheathing sheets;

Figure l3'is a detail sectional view on the line |3l3, Figure 10, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The reference letter A designates the car as a whole. H

The outside sheathing sheets I extend vertically from a point about midway of the heighth of the car to the eaves of the car; as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 5', while the 'outside' sheathingsheets 2 and 2a extend horizontally of the car; These outside sheathing sheetsfunction merely as an outside shell and are not designed to add any strength to the already sufiiciently strong side and end frames which will-be hereinafter described.

The corners of the car are round, as clearly shown in Figure 1, andare designed to conform to the general design of the car and eliminate square or sharp corners, and with the horizontally disposed caps 3 give the car a smooth and flowing contour.

With reference to Figure 5, the vertical sheathings I are provided at their eaves edge with an out-turned flange 5 which is secured to the T- shape side plate 6 by means of the rivet 1. It will be noted that the leg of the said plate is bent downwardly as at 8 and functions as a drip plate protecting the joint between the leg of the plate and the top" edge ofthe' vertical sheet I.

The"

lower edge of the vertical sheets I is provided with an out-turned flange 9.

The horizontal sheathing 2 is provided at its upper edge with an out-turned flange l and is secured to the flange 9 of the sheathing l by means of the rivet H. The lower edge of the horizontal sheathing 2 is provided with the outstanding flange l2, and the upper edge of the sheathing 2a is also provided with the outstanding flange l3, which flanges are secured together by means of rivets I4. The lower edge of the sheathing plate 211 is secured to the side sill E5 of the car by means of the rivets H5. Inasmuch as the heads of these rivets l6 are exposed they may be, if necessary, chipped off from the outside of the car, during process of maintenance.

The outstanding flanges 9, l0, l2 and 23 are covered by a longitudinal extending cap 3, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 5, said cap not only functioning to cover the said joints, but to give to the car a streamline effect, and this streamline efiect is continued on the door l'l by means of the cap 3a. The connection between the sheathing plates just described is duplicated on both sides and end walls of the car.

The ladder illustrated in Figure l is not claimed herein as it is the subject matter of my application filed January 24, 1939, Serial No. 252,697. l

The wall posts of the car are made up, preferably, of the metal channel [8 and the angle irons l9 which are suitably secured together by means of the rivets 29. The flanges 19a of the angle irons l9 are offset as at 21, in which oifset is secured a truss angle consisting of the vertical flanges 22 and the horizontal flanges 23, the member 22 having countersunk rivet openings 24, while the flange 23 is provided with rivet openings 25. The posts are provided at intervals throughout its length with Openings 2E back of and in alignment with said openings are screw threaded nuts 21, which nuts are rigidly secured against movement to the posts by means of welding 28, or by other suitable means, whereby the nut 21 is fixedly secured in alignment with the opening 26 in the wall posts of the car. The wall sheathing l, 2 and 2a, are also provided with bolt openings 29 which when the sheathing is in proper position align with the openings 26 in the wall posts whereby said sheathing sheets are detachably secured to the wall posts by means of the bolt at. The caps 3 are secured to the sheathing plates by means of the self-tapping screws 3|.

The wall posts are secured at their lower ends to the side sill by rivets Isa, while its upper end is secured to the side plate 6 by means of rivets Ba, the post being offset to receive the side plate, as clearly seen in Fig. 5a.

In removing any of the sheathing panels the only destructive effort necessary is the chipping off the heads of the rivets I, II, M and IE, according to the sheet to be removed.

Heretofore metal outside sheathing was riveted to the wall post, hence to detach such sheathing it was necessary in refrigerator cars to remove the insulation in order to out the inside head of such rivets; whereas, by welding the nuts 2'! to the wall posts, it is unnecessary to remove the insulation in repairing the outside sheathing.

From the above it will be seen that any of the sheathing plates may be removed from the car without destructive effort which enables one to repair these outside sheathing plates without disturbing the insulation in a refrigerator car.

The counter-sunk rivets 32 pass through the openings 24 of the flange 22 and secure the flange 22 to the post (see Figure 13).

31 are arms secured to the angles l9 by means of welding 38, and to the outer ends of these arms 31 are secured wooden posts 39. The object of these wooden posts is to firmly hold and pack the insulation 4'0 as illustrated in Figure 11. The connections between the Wooden posts and the wall post at the section lines 1l, 6-5, are illustrated clearly in Figures 6 and 7.

From the above it will be seen that the wooden side posts are secured to the metal wall posts by commercial angles welded, or otherwise secured, to the wall post, which in the event of repairs, enables me to remove the inside lining, wooden posts, and insulation in refrigerator cars without in any way disturbing the outside sheathing.

The side and end metal posts of the cars are so fabricated that they are adapted to be Welded to the side plate, end plate and side sill, and end sill of the car, without the aid of auxiliary connections of any kind, thus saving labor, material, et cetera.

The round corner construction provides a sturdy corner and provides in itself a means of blanketing the corner of the car with insulation without breaking joints. Inasmuch as the structural features involved in the round corners are the same as employed in the side wall, illustration is not deemed necessary.

The vertical sheets I, preferably, are of such width that they cover three of the wall posts.

At the alternate posts the flanges 9 and id are offset as at 4! to receive between them the flange 23, said offset portions having bolt or rivet openings 43 in which rivets 42 are positioned thereby securing sheets I and 2 to the posts, as shown in Figure 8. At the intermediate posts the flange l2 of sheet 2 and the upper flange E3 of the sheet 2a are flared or offset as at it, 45, and the flange 23 of one of the trusses is positioned between these offset portions and secured in position by means of the rivets 46.

The end wall construction is, preferably, materially heavier than the side wall construction.

What I claim is:

1. An outside wall sheathing for a railroad car comprising wall posts having vertical rows of openings, Vertically extending wall sheets covering substantially the upper half of the car wall and having rows of openings along their longitudinal edges registering with said openings in the vertical posts, a plurality of rows of horizontally extending wall sheets covering substantially the lower half of the car wall, the lower edges of the vertical sheets and adjacent longitudinal edges of the horizontal sheets being provided with outwardly extending flanges, removable fastenings passing through the openings in the posts and vertical sheets and detachably fastening said sheetsvto the posts, and fastenings independent of the first-named fastenings passing through the flanges of the sheets, said fastenings being exposed so as to admit of their removal from the outside of the wall.

2. An outer wall sheathing for a railroad car comprising wall posts, vertically disposed sheets, fastening bolts passing through the sheets and having threaded engagement with the wall posts, said sheets covering substantially the upper half of the car wall, a plurality of rows of horizontally extending sheets covering substantially the of openings along their vertical edges and covering substantially the upper half of the car wall, bolts passing from the outside through the openings on the posts and sheets, and engaging the nuts, a plurality of rows of horizontally extending sheets covering substantially the lower half of the car wall, outwardly extending flanges on the adjacent edges of the horizontal sheets, outwardly extending flanges on the uppermost horizontal sheet and the lower edges of the vertical sheets, fastening rivets connecting the adjacent flanges of the sheets and exposed so as to admit of their removal from the outside of the wall, a horizontally disposed cap covering united flanges between the rows of horizontal sheets, a cap covering the united flanges between the uppermost row of horizontal sheets and the vertical sheets, and detachable fastening members securing the caps to the sheets.

GEORGE A. STEUBER. 

